Folded napkin and method of folding same



Sept. 13,1927.

1,642,483? P. J. CHRISTMAN FOLDED NAPKIN AND METHOD OF' FOLDING SAME Filed May 5, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l f z z 1 I aktoznual 'se t. 13, 1927.

P. J.'CHRISTMAN FOLDED NAPKIN AND METHOD OF FOLDING SAME Filed May 5,1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 pdkzazlst 'man- Patented Sept, 13, 1927.

' UNITE-D STATE I necessarily come in contact with'the'napkin next beneath it in the stack, or if a napkin is withdrawn with a sliding movement, one

or more of the other napkins of the stack are liable to be likewise withdrawn or at least become displaced or 'disar'ranged. There fore, the present inventionhas as its general object to provide a paper napkin. foldj ed in such, a manner as to provide for its removal from a stack of such napkins with- I out and possibility of the finger coming in;

- 3 contact with any other napkin and without any likelihood of disarrangement of the other-napkins of thesta'ck.

More specifically, the invention contem- ,"plates' the provision of a paper napkin fold- I edin Lsuch maner as to' provide a medially positioned grasping fold which may be readily grasped for thepurpose of lifting thenapkin from a stack of the same without the fingers coming in contact with any other napkin of the stack and without disarrangement of the other napkins.

' tained.

Another object of the'invention isto evolve a novel method of folding paper napkins so that the results referred to above may be ob- In the accompanying drawings:

'Figure 1 is a perspective vieW'illustra-ting ,the first step in the folding of a paper napkin in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a similar view illustrating the second folding step;

' Figure 3 is a-perspectiveview illustrating a stack of' the napkins,completelyifolded in accordance with this vention. v

Figure 4 is a perspective view illustrating the second step in the folding of a napkin in accordance with another embodiment-of the embodiment of the ininvention.

Figure 5 is a similar view illustrating the final step of folding such a napkin.

Figure 6 is a perspective view illustrating I the first step in'the foldingof a napkin constituting another embodiment of the invention. 1 Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspectiveview illustrating the next step in the folding of 1,642,487 FI'CEA.

GREEN B Y, WISCONSIN.

THOD OF FOLDING SAME. 1926; serial mi. 106,504.

a napkin in accordance with this embodiment of the invention.

Figure 8 is a similar view illustrating the final step in the folding of the napkin and likewise the completely folded napkin.

Figure 9 is a perspective view illustrating the first step in the foldingof a napkin cone stituting another'embodiment of the invention. r 1

Figure 10 is a similar-view illustrating the completely folded napkin constituting this embodiment of the invention.

Figures 1 to 3 inclusive illustrate the method of producing one form of folded napkin embodying the invention, Figure 3 illustrating particularly several of the folded napkins as they ,will be arranged in a stack. The napkin is of the quality of paper usually employed and the blank from which the completed article is formed is of rectangular shape. The first step in the simultaneously forming other folds 4, one

parallel to the fold line 2 and between said line and the adjacent fold line 3, and the other parallel 'to the other fold line 3 and.

between the same and the said free margins of the plies. In this manner, a medially ex-. tending box pleat fold 5 is provided.

The article, in the condition shown in Figure 2, is then folded transversely or, in other words, at right angles to the initial fold 2, and midway between its ends, as indicated by-the numeral 6, thus completing the folded napkin. The napkins thus folded are arranged in a stack as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings, and it will now be evident that inasmuch as the folds 3 are spaced inwardly from the side margins of the folded napkin as a whole and the box pleat fold extends longitudinally medially of the folded napkin as a whole, the uppermost napkin of the stack may be readilyremoved bygrasp.- ing the fold 5 and lifting the napkin from the stack, this being accomplished without touching any of the other napkins and without causing disarrangement thereof. It will likewise be evident that the box pleat folds of the napkins arranged in a stack are in contact one with another and that inasmuch as these folds are narrower than the folded napkins as a whole, there is a minimum surface contact between the superimposed napkins so that, as a consequence, there is less frictional surface contact to cause adherence of one napkin to another, whereas napkins as ordinarily folded, have maximum surface contact with one another. Therefore, even if the uppermost napkin should be carelessly removed, as for example, by being withdrawn with an approximate sliding movement, there would still be no likelihood of displacement of the napkin next beneath it.

Figures l and 5 of the drawings, illustrate another embodiment of the invention and the steps carried out in producing the same, the napkin, in these figures, being indicated by the numeral 7. This napkin is likewise formed from a rectangular blank which is folded medially on a fold line indicated by the numeral 8, and in substantially the same manner as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings. The nextstep in the method of folding consists in folding the blank along a fold line 9 extending at right angles to the fold line 8 and medially between the ends of the same. A box pleat fold 10 corresponding to the fold 5 of the previously described embodiment is then formed medially of the folded blank shown in Figure 4, and extends between the fold line 8 and the opposite free margins of the plies of the folded blank, and it will be observed that this box pleat fold 10 is, as in the case of the fold 5 of the previously described form, of less width than those completely folded article so that its margins are spaced inwardly from the margins of the completely folded article which are parallel thereto. These napkins are to be arranged in a stack with the folds 10 uppermost, and the napkins may be readily removed from the stack by grasping the said folds 10.

Figures 6, 7 and 8 of the drawings, illustrate another embodiment of the invention and the method followed in producing the .same, and, as shown in Figure 6, the first step in the method consists in folding the rectangular sheet blank which is indicated by the numeral 11, along parallel fold lines 12 and other fold lines 13, to provide a box pleat fold indicated by the numeral 14. The portions of the blank at the opposite sides of the box pleat fold 14 are then'folded in upon themselves in overlapped relation along fold lines 15 which are parallel to the fold lines 12 and 13, so that the article will then assume the form shown in Figure 7 of the drawings. The final step in the method of folding consists in forming a transverse fold 16 which is located midway between the ends meagre? be removed by grasping the box pleat fold 14 as in the previously described embodiment.

In Figures 9 and 10 of the drawings, illustrating a further embodiment of the in vention, the rectangular sheet 17 constituting the blank is first folded medially, as at 18,

and as previously described in connection with Figure 1 of the drawings, and the blank is thenforn'icd with a box pleat fold 19 corresponding to the box pleat fold of the previously described form. In this embodiment, the box pleat fold 19 extends from the fold line 18 to the opposite free margins of the plies formed by making the said fold 18, and medially between the other free margins of the said plies. The blank is then in the condition shown in Figure 9 of the drawings, and the final step in the method of folding the blank consists in forming folds 20 in the portions at the opposite sides of the {box pleat fold 19 and overlapping the same substantially in marginal registration, as shown in Figure 10. The napkins thus pro duced may be stacked as in the case of the other napkins previously described and may be lifted from a stack by grasping the fold 19.

It will be understood that the invention resides primarily in the provision of a box pleat. or similar fold in a paper napkin adapting it to be lifted from a stack of the napkins without the necessity'or likelihood of touching any other napkin of the stack and without disturbing or displacing any other napkin of the stack and while it is de sirable to complete the folding of the partly folded blank shown in Figure 2, to produce. the article shown in Figure 3, and complete the folding of the-partly folded blank shown in Figure 7 to produce the article shown in Figure 8, and likewise complete the folding of the partly folded blank shown in Figure 9 to produce the article shown in Figure 10, a more compact article being produced in each instance, the partly folded blanks shown in Figures 2, 6, 7 and 9 might in themselves constitute completely folded napkins within the purview of the invention, sacrificing, of course, the advantages of compactness, relative stillness of the completed article, and attractive appearance. In every instance, however, the box pleat fold would be present and would serve its purpose as before described.

It will also be understood from the foregoing. that while a box pleat fold presents the advantage that the fold has two OPPO".

sitely extending wings and may, therefore,

be grasped between the thumb and forefinger in removing one of the napkins from a stack thereof, some other type of fold might be provided for the same purpose, the invention residing broadly in the provision of a grasping fold or, in other words, a fold which may be grasped for'the purpose of lifting or removing the napkin from a stack. 1

Having thus described the invention, What i I claim is: v I p A sheet of work material folded upon itself, along parallel lines, to form a middle section of predetermined width; the portion at one side of said middle section being reverse folded upon a parallel line intermediate the middle section and the edge of said portion it) extend behind said middle section, the free edge and the fold of said portion being at opposite sides of and equidistant from said middle section and the portion at the op osite side of the middle section being fol ed in a similar reverse manner back against the already folded side portion,-the free edge and the fold of said portion being at opposite sides'of and equidistant from said middle section and the whole then being transversely folded at approximately the center of the unit. 7

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

7 PETER J. CHRISTMAN. [L.s.'] 

